Muscat: She has yet to open her eyes after being pulled from a burning car five days ago.
Little Gazal Mohammed has 75 per cent burns and is on life support as her mum Laila maintains a round-the-clock bedside vigil. Her mum’s message is simple yet emotive: “Please pray for our daughter”.
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Gazal Mohammed and her three-year-old brother Sulaiman were pulled from their burning family car at a petrol station in Sur last Wednesday. Hero rescuer Mohammed Al Hashmi raced to the smoke-filled vehicle and single-handedly rescued both children after their father, who had left them to buy groceries, raised the alarm.
While Sulaiman has 30 per cent burns and is responding to treatment, Gazal has yet to open her eyes, her uncle said.
Her mother, Laila Al Gharram, is at her daughter’s bedside maintaining a round-the-clock vigil. She said: “Please pray for my daughter.”
Specialist burns unit
The uncle of the children, Mohmood Abu Atiya, is calling for a specialist burns unit to travel to Sur to help save Gazal, as medics have advised them it is too dangerous to move them to the country’s only specialist burns unit at Khoula Hospital in Muscat, almost 200 kilometres away.
“Gazal is still on medical support. She has not opened her eyes yet. She is in a critical stage. We are all praying for her recovery,” Mohmood, Gazal’s uncle, told Times of Oman.
Sulaiman may be transferred to Khoula hospital on Tuesday, according to his uncle.
Gazal and her three-year-old brother Sulaiman Mohammed suffered burns while they were in the car at the fuel station.
Gazal and Sulaiman had badgered their father to take them for a drive, according to Mohmood.
“Sulaiman is recovering. He has suffered 30 per cent burns only. He is on oxygen support. Both can’t talk. Their mother and father are with them from day one in the hospital. Both of them are still not out of the shock. We are supporting them by all means and praying to the Almighty for the speedy recovery,” Mohmood added.
“Medics are saying that Gazal’s vital conditions are bad and they are trying their best to bring her back by all means,” Mohmood added. Gazal and Sulaiman have two siblings, six-year-old Saif and eight-year-old Malak.
“We are taking care of them. We have not told them about the tragedy. They won’t be able to adjust to it,” Mohmood added.
Jordanian embassy
According to Mohmood, the Jordanian embassy officials have also offered assistance.
“The embassy intervened to shift the children to Khoula Hospital. However, according to medics, as they are not in a stable condition, we have to continue here. But we plead that if a specialised medical team can come to Sur from Khoula, it would be a blessing for us. We can save the children,” Mohmood added.
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